Beyond the Veil?
by taemin
Summary: Sirius wonders about death. Remus just wants to be left alone. Dialogue!Fic. Three different conversations, three different time periods. Written for livejournal comm.


(Written for the lj comm unslashfc)

A/N: I've never written a dialogue fic, and it turns out I'm pretty horrid at them. But still, please no flames.

_Beyond the Veil?_

"Hey, Remus. Mind if I sit here?"

"Yes, actually."

"Geez, who shoved a broom up your-"

"Please, Sirius. I'm trying to read."

"Fine, okay. I'll just sit here. Quietly."

"Mm-hmm."

"No, really. I promise. See? Shutting up."

"Good."

"..."

"..."

"Hey, Remus?"

"Whatever happened to shutting up?"

"This is important."

"Fine. _What_, Sirius?"

"Um... Did you ever think about... _you know_..."

"... No, I don't know. Did I ever think about... Pixies? Tax collectors? The weird resemblance between you and Stubby Boardman?"

"Funny. No, I mean... Do... Do you ever think about death?"

"Well, I sort of have to. On account of the 'me becoming a bloodthirsty canine with a castle full of innocent victims nearby every month' thing."

"Well, yeah. But I mean... About _you_ dying. You know... Just what'll happen. Didn't you ever sit down and wonder what happens next? After the light at the end of the tunnel... What comes after?"

"No."

"... Oh."

"Because I know that if I ever did that, I would go insane."

"But you have to wonder about it. I mean, it could happen any day."

"Yeah, and if I thought like that, it would slowly evolve into 'I'm not going to trust anyone, because maybe they'll kill me tomorrow.' Then would come 'I better not go out today, because I might be shot by a homicidal muggle.' Then it would turn into me just staying indoors, afraid to leave my bed on the off-chance I tripped over something lying on the floor, and broke my neck, drowning in a pool of my own blood. Finally, I would just-"

"Okay, fine! I see your point."

"Good. Now please, I'm trying to read."

"..."

"..."

"But didn't you ever just _wonder_..."

"Stuff it, Sirius."

"Sorry."

* * *

"Hey, Remus?" 

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember that one time, in fifth year, when I asked you about death?"

"Uh... No..."

"You know, I asked you if you ever thought about what would happen if you died, then you sprouted some nonsense about drowning in blood, or something, and then I got freaked, and you just sort of _glared_ at me, and we never talked about it again?"

"Um. No. Not really."

"Oh. Well, I do. And I'm wondering... Do you ever wonder about it? Now, I mean?"

"..."

"Moony?"

"Yeah. I do."

"And..."

"Well, Merlin, I have to. I mean, people die every damn day! Look at Lily and James. I mean, we saw them the very day they died. Don't you remember?"

"Yeah... None of us trusted each other, and it was really tense that day, and then, right when we were leaving, Harry leaned over and blew that _gigantic _spit bubble that popped all over your sweater..."

"Yeah. I still have that... Well, the point is, people die. Someday, I'm going to die, and Dumbledore is going to die, and even _you_ will die. Yes, Sirius, even you. But you can't worry about that. You just have to press on, and worry about what's happening _now_, and accept that when you die, you die, and that's that."

"Huh. That's basically what you said in fifth year, except without the being shot by a muggle murderer part."

"I said that?"

"Yeah. Your eyes were really big, and I think you were foaming at the mouth a bit."

"Liar."

"No, really. I- Hey. What's that?"

"It's an... an owl. From... Severus?"

"Dirty git. Probably dumped silver shavings in it. Give it to me, I'll feed 'em to Kreacher. He's been complaining that we don't get enough food. I'll tell him that they're Dad's remains, he'll love that."

"Sirius, you're so— Oh. Shit. "

"Moony? What's wrong?"

"The... The letter says... Harry's gone."

"_What?_"

"He and some other kids, Ron and Hermione and... Ginny, too, they all left. Took off from Hogwarts about an hour ago, Snape only just had time to send the letter."

"Merlin- Where are they going? _Does it say where they're going?_"

"Uh... Yeah. The Ministry of Magic. ... How does he know that?"

"Oh, bugger Snape! Moony, come on. We're going. Now."

"But..."

"Moony."

"Okay. Yeah, yeah, let's go. The rest can catch up with us later."

"Good. Go and get our wands."

"Right."

"Bloody- The _Ministry?_ What do they think they're doing?"

"Here. I'm ready. Let's go."

"Right. Shut the door behind you, will you, Moony? We can unlock it when we get back with Harry."

* * *

"Hey, Remus." 

"Oh. Hi. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Eh, it's not every day your best friend dies. Had to come and cheer you up."

"And what makes you think I need cheering up?"

"C'mon, Moony. I know you. No more chocolate to eat..."

"Oh, dear Merlin, no!"

"No more Snape to torture in my absence..."

"Yeah. Right."

"No more Tonks to snog..."

"... I didn't think you knew about that."

"I'm dead, Moony. I know everything."

"You've always been a horrid liar, Padfoot, and you know it."

"Damn."

"Seriously, though."

"Well, we've all been checking up on you. Me, James, Lily, Harry... We had to make sure that you were okay."

"So a bunch of ghosts have been stalking me?"

"We're not ghosts, Remus. You know that."

"Yeah. I know."

"Good."

"You mentioned Harry. How is he?"

"Oh, you know. He was pretty scarred when we first got him... The kid had it rough. Tortured like that before he finally managed to kill the old bastard... And no one finding his body for that long? He was pretty shook up."

"But he's with Lily and James now, right?"

"Yeah, he's been spending a lot of time with them. And me, too, of course."

"Of course."

"Shut it. Oh, he wanted to come with me today, but I wouldn't let him."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's more of a one person thing, guiding into death."

"Who did yours?"

"James, of course. He did Harry, too, and Dumbledore, believe it or not."

"Huh. So he's with you all? Funny, I thought that he would be too important to just, you know... _exist_ with everyone else like that."

"Eh, we were all betting he would decide to stay on as a ghost, you know, guide the wizarding world with his ancient and most wise self for all eternity. But you know him."

"Yeah. It's not his way."

"And... is it yours?"

"No. No, you know that, you wanker."

"Thank Merlin. I mean, it was your decision, of course, and 'I would respect you all the way' and all that... But I'm glad you're coming with me, mate."

"Oh, look, Sirius. Now I'm getting all teary."

"Well, you've always been very sensitive."

"Oh. Very funny. Let's go."

"Eager, are we?"

"I just want to get it over with. Just... Just go forward, no regrets, no looking back. I just want to die."

"Sure. Just step this way, Moony. Don't worry if it feels a bit weird at first. You've got all of eternity to get used to it."

End


End file.
